The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-07-23
HOGS IN SUMMER.
A System of Feeding Which Assures a
Fair Percentage of Profit.

System of Feeding Which Assures a
Fair Percentage of Profit.
Upon the growth and development
made during the summer, depends
largely the condition we will find the
pigs in the fall. have never con-
sidered it necessary to keep the stock
hogs fat during the summer. One of
the essential conditions of good. vigor-
Gus growth is comfort, and an eXces-
sively fat hog cab hardly be claimed to
be comfortable during hot weather.
Then, l never considered that a fat
hog would grow as well as one kept in
a good condition. My Plan is also to
give the growing pigs plenty Of chance
to exercise while they are growing.
While they are young, health and vigor
are more to be desired than fat.
We may be able to secure more
rapid growth, both in size and flesh, by
keeping confined and feeding concen-
trated food, but such course is sure to
have facilitating effect, and unless
extra care is given u less growth in the
end will be secured than if plenty of
exercise is given during the summer,
with full supply of clover, SO that
the stock can be kept healthy and in q
good con dition until in the fall, when
fhe weather becomes colder.
Taking the crops as they will usually
average, and for feeding stock hogs
during the summer, one acre of good
clover is worth one and half of corn,
a fraction over ten of oats and three of
wheat. I find it better to give some
thing else beside clover, even during
the summer, i'll order to secure the best
growth, but only in small quantities.
If there is plenty Of clover it can easily
be made the principal feed, yet at the
same time my experience has been that,
all things considered. a variety of food
will give much the best results, and
especially while the stock is growing.
If we are able to secure good, strong,
vigorous growth during the summer, it
is much more easy to fatten in the fall.
find it cheaper to feed at all seasons
of the year so that Il good growth can
be secured, and then fatten, rather than
TO let the stock take care OF themselves
until | am ready to fatten, and then feed
into marketable condition OF late
years, even under the most favorable
conditions, the profits of feeding stock
of any Kind for market have been
small. The majority of us are work.
ing, to n large extent, for this, and what
ever plan will give us the most profit,
all things considered, is the plan for us
to follow.
If properly managed, n strong, rapid
growth can be secured with the hogs in
good clover pasture during the sum-
mer, and know of no better or even
more economical plan. | find that by
giving light feed of grain, suili-
GENTLY larger growth can be secured to
make the increased expense profitable.
do not, under any conditions, like to
keep hogs or growing pigs in q close
pen or yard during the summer, even
if it were possible to secure better
growth. The risk of disease would be
too much. This with hogs is always an
item, and especially so with young
growing pigs. l have yet to find II
more profitable plan of raising hogs
than to have the pigs come the first of
March; give them good start to grow
by feeding the SOW literally, and then
giving them the run of good orchard
seeded down to clover, with light
feed Of some economical grain night
and morning until cool weather, in tho
field, and then penning up and finish
ing of. The stock must be kept in a
reasonably good condition all summer
if the best growth by this plan is secured;
but if this is done, l have generally
been able to secure Il fair per cent of
profit, and there is much less risk Of
disease.-M j. Shepherd, IN The Hog.